The short answer is "Absolutely!" But it wouldn't be an informative Blog if I left it at that!
Suffice to say, there is a lot of confusion when it comes to Ozone, and whether it is safe, or not. While there is not really a "good" or "bad" ozone, there are two distinct types; but both have levels that are not fit for human consumption.
The EPA defines ozone as "A chemical that is made of three oxygen atoms joined together, and found in the Earth's atmosphere. There are two kinds of ozone: good ozone, and bad ozone. Good ozone is found high in the Earth's atmosphere, and prevents the sun's harmful rays from reaching the Earth. Bad ozone is found low to the ground, and can be harmful to animals and humans because it damages our lungs, sometimes making it difficult to breathe." (From the "Acid Rain Glossary", www.epa.gov). This is where a lot of the confusion stems from.
While it certainly is true that the ozone layer protects us from harmful UV radiation, that doesn't mean that there isn't "good" ozone here on earth. "O3" is a naturally formed version of ozone, and it has levels that are not bad for humans. (It's often referred to as "Earth's cleanser".) "O3" is formed when air passes through UVC light, at about 180nm. This ozone form is not harmful to humans at a level of up to .05ppm (parts per million). But when it increases up to 0.10, it can have a nauseating affect.
There are now many products that combine UVC light with Ozone, but most products rely simply on UVC light. Which product should you get? It depends upon your situation. Budget, type of building, etc, will have a huge effect on which product is appropriate for you.
Of course, your local expert from Accurate Auditors is always available to assist with that decision...!
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